SB Nation Boston - Mike Lowell Rejoins Red Sox As Kevin Youkilis Hits The Disabled Listhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2010-08-03T16:16:51-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/12945832010-08-03T16:16:51-04:002010-08-03T16:16:51-04:00Mike Lowell Rejoins Red Sox, Will Start At First Base
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<p>Mike Lowell<a href="http://twitter.com/ScottLauber/status/20246542009"> has been activated</a> from the disabled list and will rejoin the Red Sox tonight in place of the injured Kevin Youkilis.</p>
<p>Lowell has been stuck in a rehab assignment with the Red Sox left without a place to put him. With a decision required today, the situation seems to have solved itself in the worst way possible, as Kevin Youkilis has been placed on the disabled list after injuring his thumb Monday against the Indians.</p>
<p>Lowell has been tearing up Triple-A pitching during his rehab assignment, trying to find a place on the Red Sox or another team, hitting .500/.500/1.227 in 22 at bats in Pawtucket. The Red Sox could not find any trade partners, but now have need of the veteran infielder again as their injury plagued season continues.</p>
<p>The Red Sox will start Lowell at first base tonight, where he will likely get most of the time as Youkilis recovers.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/8/3/1603490/red-sox-mike-lowell-kevin-youkilisBenjamin Buchanan2010-07-31T12:52:12-04:002010-07-31T12:52:12-04:00Red Sox Delay Activating Mike Lowell While They Try To Trade Him
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<p>Despite his recent success in Pawtucket, the Red Sox will delay activating Mike Lowell, <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2010/07/31/lowell_awaits_word_on_next_assignment/">according to the Globe</a>. Instead, they'll be busy trying to trade the right handed 1B/3B.</p>
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<p>"Just kind of told them to hang on for a day or so,'' said manager Terry Francona, about the message from Theo Epstein to Lowell and his agents. "There's possible movement. The deadline's [today]. It just seems to make sense to get through another day or two days, and then do what we need to do.''</p>
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<p>The Sox are hoping to be able to <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2010/07/news_from_fenwa.html">deal him</a>, either before or after Saturday's deadline (they feel he'd "easily pass through waivers"), likely to a team in need of a DH or a pinch-hitter.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/7/31/1598379/mike-lowell-red-sox-trade-rumors-activateRyan Hudson2010-07-29T12:56:14-04:002010-07-29T12:56:14-04:00Mike Lowell Hits Fourth Homer In Pawtucket
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<p>Mike Lowell <a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/2129402/lowell-homers-again-pawtucket">collected three hits</a>, including the fourth home run of his rehab stint, in a 5-8 loss to Toledo on Wednesday.</p>
<p>Lowell has been making his best case to be picked up by a contender at the deadline during his rehab, homering three times on Tuesday. He currently sports an <span class="caps">OPS</span> of 1.727 through 22 at bats, splitting his time between first, third and DH.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/7/29/1594582/mike-lowell-hits-fourth-homer-inBenjamin Buchanan2010-07-28T12:41:54-04:002010-07-28T12:41:54-04:00Mike Lowell Hits Three Home Runs For Pawtucket, Could Be Activated On Friday
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<p>During the offseason, the Red Sox tried to trade Mike Lowell to the Rangers (they were unsuccessful). Seemingly stuck with him, he was limited to just 31 games in 2010 before Boston once again tried to trade him away (again, unsuccessfully). Finally, out of options, the Red Sox put him on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hip on June 23.</p>
<p>Now, a week and a half after Lowell began a rehab assignment, their inability to trade may be a blessing in disguise.</p>
<p>Tuesday night, in a game for Triple-A Pawtucket, the third baseman <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/bostonred-sox/post/_/id/4730/lowell-hits-three-homers-for-pawsox">hit three home runs</a>, and in four games with the PawSox, he's hitting .471.</p>
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<p>"It felt real good," Lowell told Toledo TV station WTVG. "I welcome the at-bats. I really haven't had consistent at-bats all year.</p>
<p>"A day like today is special. I don't care what level you're at. I'll take this any time."</p>
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<p>Lowell is expected to make another start for Pawtucket on Thursday, and could be ready to rejoin the big league club when they return home on Friday.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/7/28/1592405/mike-lowell-pawtucket-three-home-runs-dl-activated-boston-weekendRyan Hudson2010-06-24T13:15:34-04:002010-06-24T13:15:34-04:00Mike Lowell Headed To The DL
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<p>With Daisuke Matsuzaka set to return to the rotation Thursday night against the Rockies, the Red Sox needed to make a counter move to free up a roster spot. Apparently, that move will come in the form of <a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/2125415/lowell-expected-go-disabled-list">a trip to the disabled list for Mike Lowell</a>.</p>
<p>There has been little or no indication that Lowell is actually injured. Instead, this might be a tipping point for the Red Sox. They had not exactly been finding opportunities to “showcase” Lowell for a trade recently, and when they had, he had not performed. A phantom DL trip might just be the precursor to the end of Mike Lowell’s time in Boston.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/6/24/1534571/mike-lowell-disabled-list-dl-daisukeBenjamin Buchanan2010-06-22T14:59:20-04:002010-06-22T14:59:20-04:00With Trade Deadline Approaching, Lowell Situation Looms Large
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">When the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/BOS">Red Sox</a> signed <span>Mike Lowell</span> to a three-year extension after his 2007 World Series MVP performance, this was not the ending they had in mind.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Perhaps Mike Lowell's 2007 was a bit of an outlier. He had two comparable offensive seasons before, in 2003 and 2004, but the fact that his 2008 numbers were similar to his 2006 season should not have been a surprise to anyone. Still, Mike Lowell flashed a plus glove for much of the year, and he wasn't too far off being worth his $12.5 million contract, if at all.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It is what transpired halfway through that season, though, that would lead to what must, inevitably, be the end of Mike Lowell's time in Boston, when he suffered a hip flexor injury. Lowell continued to play through the injury, and after eventually undergoing surgery, his mobility in the field vanished, and with it, his defensive value at third.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Now Lowell spends his time on the bench, filling a role that simply does not exist on this Red Sox team, and occupying a valuable roster spot that's really hurting the team's positional depth.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">There's certainly no need for a backup first baseman on this team. If <span>Kevin Youkilis</span> ever needs a break, <span>Victor Martinez</span> can take over just fine while <span>Jason Varitek</span> takes over behind the plate. Even against lefties, the Martinez – Varitek combo (with Victor at DH) makes more sense with both players decimating left handed pitchers.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">And what are we giving up with Lowell on the roster? By being forced to use just one roster spot for two positions (backup middle infielder, and fifth outfielder), the Sox are sacrificing competence in the field for so called "versatility" in <span>Bill Hall</span>.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">While Hall has managed to avoid being a complete loss with the bat to this point (whether or not that will continue is entirely questionable—he's looked really bad at many times, and seems to just be getting fewer pitches in the zone for whatever reason, bolstering his walk rate), he has been absolutely painful to watch in the outfield. Bad jumps and misplays have been the routine for Hall. And if <span>Marco Scutaro</span>'s various medical issues put him on the DL at all, it could be a few painful reminder of how badly shortstop has often been fielded in Fenway if Hall should try to cover the position again for the first time in four years.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mike Lowell was a standup guy for us, signed for less than he could have gotten elsewhere.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is not how we expected this to end, or certainly how we wanted it to end.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2010/6/22/2316788/with-trade-deadline-approaching-lowell-situation-looms-largeBenjamin Buchanan